Dyslexia affects about 20% of people — roughly one in five kids in any classroom. For years, many of those children were missed until they had already fallen behind. That is starting to change. More than 40 U.S. states now have dyslexia-related laws covering screening, instruction, or both, and two 2025 laws show exactly where things are headed: Colorado made dyslexia screening universal, and Georgia banned a teaching method that experts say undermines reading. Here is what these laws actually do, and what they mean for your family right now.
What did Colorado’s new screening law do?
In May 2025, Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 200 (SB 200), requiring universal dyslexia screening for all students in grades K–3. “Universal screening” means every child is checked — not just the ones a teacher happens to flag — so struggling readers are caught early instead of slipping through.
Under the law, schools must screen students within 90 days of the start of the school year, and when risk factors show up, there is a 60-day timeline for diagnostic follow-up. The requirement phases in to full statewide effect in the 2027–28 school year. One important caveat reported by Chalkbeat Colorado and KUNC: the law is currently unfunded, which raises real questions about how quickly and how well districts can carry it out.
What did Georgia ban, and why does it matter?
In April 2025, Governor Brian Kemp signed a law banning the “three-cueing” system as the primary method of reading instruction, and prohibiting the “Reading Recovery” program, as Atlanta News First reported.
Three-cueing is a method that encourages children to guess unfamiliar words using context and pictures rather than sounding them out with phonics. Experts say that guessing-based approach undermines the foundational decoding skills kids need, especially children with dyslexia. Banning it nudges classrooms toward instruction that actually teaches reading the way the brain learns it.
What is the difference between a screening and a diagnosis?
This distinction matters enormously, so it is worth being clear. A screening is a quick check that flags risk — it is not a diagnosis. A child who screens as “at risk” has not been diagnosed with dyslexia; they have simply been identified as someone who needs a closer look and, often, earlier support.
A diagnosis comes from a fuller evaluation. The good news is that you do not have to wait for the school’s timeline to begin. If you are concerned, you can pursue a private evaluation and start structured help now — while the screening and follow-up process plays out.
What approach are these laws pushing toward?
Look closely and you will notice both laws point in the same direction. Whether a state is adding screening (Colorado) or removing a flawed teaching method (Georgia), the destination is the same: explicit, systematic, multisensory structured literacy — commonly called the Science of Reading, and rooted in the Orton-Gillingham approach.
This is not a trend or a brand. It is decades of research on how children actually learn to read: directly teaching the sounds letters make, blending those sounds into words, and building from there in a clear, cumulative sequence. It is the method that helps the one-in-five kids with dyslexia, and it tends to help everyone else too.
What can you do at home right now?
State laws are moving in the right direction, but they take time — Colorado’s rule is not even fully in effect until 2027–28, and it is unfunded. Your child is reading this year. The most powerful thing you can do is start structured, evidence-based help at home without waiting on a school calendar.
That is exactly why we built the Apricot Tree Academy dyslexia curriculum: a parent-friendly program built on the same Science of Reading principles these laws are pushing schools toward, designed so you can begin today, at home, even with no special training. You can get the curriculum on Amazon and start tonight. Early, structured intervention is what changes outcomes — and you do not have to wait for permission to provide it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many states have dyslexia laws now?
More than 40 U.S. states now have dyslexia-related laws covering screening requirements, instruction requirements, or both. The specifics vary by state, but the national trend is clearly toward catching reading difficulties earlier and teaching reading using evidence-based methods.
Does a school screening diagnose my child with dyslexia?
No. A screening is a quick check that flags risk — it is not a diagnosis. If your child screens as at-risk, it means they need a closer look and likely earlier support. A formal diagnosis comes from a fuller evaluation, which you can pursue privately if you choose.
Do I have to wait for my school to screen my child?
No. You do not have to wait for a school to screen or act. You can pursue a private evaluation and begin structured, evidence-based reading help right away. Because early intervention matters so much, starting now — rather than waiting on a school’s timeline — is often the better choice.
What is three-cueing, and why did Georgia ban it?
Three-cueing is a method that encourages children to guess unfamiliar words using context and pictures rather than decoding them with phonics. In April 2025, Georgia banned it as the primary method of reading instruction because experts say it undermines the foundational decoding skills children need — especially kids with dyslexia.
What teaching approach do these new laws support?
They point toward explicit, systematic, multisensory structured literacy — often called the Science of Reading and rooted in the Orton-Gillingham approach. This research-based method directly teaches letter sounds, blending, and decoding in a clear, cumulative sequence, and it is the approach the Apricot Tree Academy curriculum is built on.